Strange To See You Again
by ohcurliehair
Summary: A song fic set in the future as Cal and Gillian ponder their past.


Ok so I know i'm supposed to be working on the next chapter of my other fic but then I listened to this song for the first time in years and I had the idea for this little one-shot. It's pretty much AU as it's set in the future as they remember their past together. I felt kinda sad writing this cos even though it wouldn't make sense, i really wanted to write a sappy, happy Callian ending :) For anyone wondersing song is Your Ex-Lover is Dead by Stars. Don't own Lie to Me

***

_God that was strange to see you again  
Introduced by a friend of a friend  
Smiled and said 'yes I think we've met before'  
In that instant it started to pour,_

He walked into the party, not really wanting to be there. 'Anywhere but here,' he thought. Surveying the room he saw the usual people hanging in their usual groups. He couldn't believe at their age it was still so easy to categorise. There was still the 'popular' group, the 'outcasts', the immature ones that never quite grew up and of course there was...Gillian. His head snapped back to the spot where had seen the last person he ever thought he would. Gillian Foster. And she was slowly walking towards him with a friend by her side. Whether she had realised who she was walking towards, he wasn't sure, but she soon recognised him when she finally looked up to see who she was being introduced to.

'Gillian Foster meet Cal Lightman. I'm sure you share more than a few interests. The exposing of lies being one of them.'

The friend was clearly unaware that they had already met. In fact beyond met. Had become partners, best friends, lovers. Until it all ended.

She looked up at him and smiled. To everyone around her it would appear as if she was happy to meet him, but only he could notice the lack of wrinkling around her eyes.

'Yes, I think we've met before.'

_Captured a taxi despite all the rain  
We drove in silence across Pont Champlain  
And all of the time you thought I was sad  
I was trying to remember your name..._

Her friend left and they were alone.

'Cal.'

'Gillian.'

Silence.

Cal cleared his throat.

'Let's go talk somewhere.'

He was relieved to hear the next words out of Gillian's mouth.

'How about we just get out of here? I can't stand this party already and it's just begun.'

She still knew him so well.

They stepped outside as it began to rain. He called for a taxi, neither had driven there themselves.

It arrived and they climbed inside. The taxi driver looked confused when they told him to just drive. There was nowhere in particular they wanted to go. They were happy as long as it wasn't where they had been.

They drove for hours in silence, each in deep thought. Gillian tried to read him, see if she still had that ability. He hid most of it, those emotions which were coursing through his body, but she managed to see hints of sadness and confusion mingled together.

He could see she was trying to read him, to see if she could see what was going through his mind. But like so many times before he shut her out, kept all emotions hidden. She clearly thought he was upset but he was only thinking of one thing. Trying to remember one thing. The nickname he used to give her. When times were happier, when they were happier.

_This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin  
Tried to reach deep but you couldn't get in  
Now you're outside me  
You see all the beauty  
Repent all your sin_

She reached out and subconsciously touched her arm. She felt the long scar, the scar that had been there for years. She remembered back to the time it had happened, it hurt less than it used to. The case where she had been attacked, when Cal had rescued her. When she had first realised that she loved him, had always loved him. From that moment onwards every time he looked at her she felt like she had to hide more and more from him. Not only did she have to hide the everyday emotions she felt, but also the deep love she had for him. But then they got together, and for a few blissful years they were both happy. She no longer had to hide the love she felt. Until it all ended.

He glanced over at her. She was still deep in thought. He couldn't help but observe how beautiful she still was. Years had passed, yet nothing had seemed to change. She still wore her hair short, still wore the same clothing. But that was a view from the inside, from him sitting here with her. If he stepped outside he knew nothing was the same. He ached to say those words he had wanted to for years. I'm sorry.

_It's nothing but time and a face that you lose  
I chose to feel it and you couldn't choose  
I'll write you a postcard  
I'll send you the news  
From a house down the road from real love..._

She remembered breaking up with him. The hurt she had felt. The pain, not just emotional but physical, tore her apart. She couldn't believe how so much time could have passed and she could still feel those emotions, as strong as they had just occurred. And that had been the problem, had always been the problem. It had been simple really. She had chosen to feel it, to feel the love, to express it, and he couldn't choose. He was always emotionally distant, scared of being hurt. Could never express the love he supposedly felt for her. So she made a decision. She chose to find someone else, someone who was capable of expressing emotion. Someone who was human.

'You can stop here.'

His voice rang loudly as it echoed throughout the silent taxi. She checked her watch. It had been two hours since they had left. Miraculously they had ended up outside her house.

They both climbed out and Cal asked the driver to wait for him. They walked to the door in silence but it was never awkward. Silence never had been with them.

She spoke first.

'Thanks for dropping me off. We should catch up some time.'

'Yeah we should.'

As he turned and walked away he whispered 'Bye Gill' to the sky and the breeze whisked his words away before anyone could hear them.

They both knew there was no truth to Gillian's words. They would never catch up. They could never catch up.

_Live through this, and you won't look back...  
Live through this, and you won't look back...  
Live through this, and you won't look back..._

As she sat on her couch gazing out the window, she realised that losing the love of her life wasn't necessarily a regret of hers. She had loved him, yes, but _loved_, as in the past tense. She had managed to move on and make something of her life. She had found what it was like to be with someone who was capable of expressing what they felt.

_There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave  
You were what I wanted  
I gave what I gave  
I'm not sorry I met you  
I'm not sorry it's over  
I'm not sorry there's nothing to save_

Cal Lightman stood up and walked over to his cabinet. He pulled out a photo album and a single photo fell out. Gillian and him, at the beach. He remembered the smells, the sounds. He remembered how beautiful Gillian had looked. But he felt nothing. No love, no regret, no sorrow. He didn't regret breaking up, he could never regret meeting her but he felt peace in knowing he didn't regret the fact that there was no longer anything there. They were just two people, who once knew each other. In another time, in another place.

_  
I'm not sorry there's nothing to save..._


End file.
